Power installation



July 25, 1933. R U 1,919,981

POWER INSTALLATION Filed June 5, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l TU RBINE LOAD.

INSTANTAN EOUS STEAM CONSUMPTION 0 E Inventor:

Pierre Le SLJT, bymm His Att-cmn ey.

July 25, p LE U POWER INSTALLATION Filed June 5, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor: Pierre Le SLJT, by fla /$1 0066,

His Attorney.

Patented July 25, 1933 UNITED STATES TENT" OFFICE PIERRE Lnsun, or nnnronr, FRANCE, AssIGNoIt To GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, I 1 A, CORPORATIQN on EW YORK rowan INSTALLATION" Application filed June 5,1930, Serial No. 459,277, and in France June 13, 1929.

T he present invention relates to power installations comprising a steamboiler and a steam turbine of -thety'pe wherein duringperiods of lesser load on the installation 1 water vheated by steam generated in the boiler is stored in atankor tanks and utilized for feeding the boiler during periods of maximum load. I j

"The object of my invention is to provide an improved system orarrangement in an installation of this'type, and for aconsideration of what I'believe'to be novel and my invention attention is directed to the following specification and the claims appended thereto. Y y

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of an installation embodying the-invention; Fig. 2 is a'diagram showing the results obtained by utilization ofthe, invention; and

Figs. 8. and lare views similar to Fig. 1 of other embodiments of the invention.

Referring tozFig. 1 of the drawings, 1

indicates diagrammatically a steam boiler orelastic fluid generating means having a superheater 2 and a feed water or level regulator 3 which controls the supply of water or liquid to the boiler; The feed water regulator is indicated only diagrammatically, but

it is to be understood that the diagram indicates any suitable type of feed water regulator controlled by the level of the water in theboiler or by other means. 4 indicates an elastic fluid turbine which receives steam from the boiler 1 through conduit 5. and

which exhausts to a condenser 6. Connected to the condenser is. a condensate .pump 7 which delivers condensate to. a feed water heater or pre-heating neans 8 of the surface type. From feed water heater 8 thefeed water is delivered by a pump 9 to a second feed water heater 10 of the surface type, and from feed water heater 10 the feed wateris delivered by a boiler pump llithrough conduits 11 and 1 b to the'boiler 1, the delivery being under the control of the feed water regulator 3. The, feed water heaters8 and 10 are supplied with elastic fluid extracted irom intermediate stages otthe turbine 4, the feed Water heater 1O being-connected to a higher pressure stage of the turbine by a conduit.

.whenthe load increases beyond such predeside to the pressure of spring 25. The ar 12, and feed water heater. 8 beingconneeted toa lower pressure stage of the turbine by a conduit 13. Thus there is supplied to the feed water heater lOsteam of a temperature higher than that which is supplied to the feed water heater 8. The heating steam condens'ed in feed water heaters 8 and 10 is discharged through pipes 14 and 15 tothe inlet-- of a pump 16 which in turn delivers the waterto theinlet of pump 9 through the discharge pipe 17..

The arrangement of installation wherein the feed water on its wayfrom the condenser to the boiler is heated by steam extracted froma plurality of stages of the turbine is known.v a y According to the embodiment of'my invention illustrated in Fig. 1, I provide a storage water tank or drum 18 for the storage of hot water to be used in feedingthe boiler, the tank'being connected to pipe 11 by'a pipe 19,. In pipe 11 and in advance of the connection of pipe 19 therewith as regards the direction of flow, there is provided a valve means 20 which is actuated in're- 7 sponse to the rate of flow of steam through the conduit 5', that is, to the load on boiler 1. VVhen'the load'on boiler 1 is below a predetermined value, valve .means 2( is open, and

termined value, valve means 20 is closed. In. the present instance the valve means is shown diagrammatically as comprising-a valve head 21 having its stem connected to a diaphragm 22. contained in a. casing 23, the upper portion of the casing being connected by a pipe 24 to a device responsive to the, rate of flow of steam through conduit 5, such device being indicated diagrammatically in the present instance as comprising a: tube 25; Beneath the diaphragm is located an adjustable spring 25,; It will thus be seenlt-hat diaphragm 22- is subjected on its upper side to the pressure conveyed to it by pipe'24,-and on, the lower rangementis such that when the flow increases beyond a predetermined value the pressure in pipe 24 becomes suflicient to force valve head 21 onto its seat With this arrangement, when the valve means 20 is open "thepuinps T, -9-and 11 supplyhot Waterto" valve means 2Q'is closed, .whereupon the pump 11 supplies Water tdfthe boiler frorn stor'age whe equal r t n es v r s ns I heated by a pipe 27' tothe discharge sideiofthengbeing' fed':from-"storage tank '18,' as al .ieady described, the condensate from consyst'ern is supplied toequalizeii tankfor 'reser-j;

pump 7. Makeup" Water orliquidffor the voir- 26 through a pipe 28in which is acofntrol valve 29; al ve-329 isregulatedfl'inifa manner such that When the combined supply- 1 of ivvater in tanks 18" and26 decreases below a neicted to one end of'thelever -SQpiVOted at [The other, end of lever "30 is connected ,7 certain amount, valve zejisppened makeup water or liquid'to the tank 26;] '1 mea s 1 of accomplishing this, I have shown l 205 diagrammatically the; valve 29 as being mm by three-arm link :32 to ttvo'c'ontainers 33 "and 34." The container 3.3 isgc onneeted to.

tank: '18 ativertically; spaeed points by means levels or depth-of thewater in tanks and value ofjxvhichiv'aries-in acoordandewithfthe 26L" The containers 33 and 23 i "wit-lithe Water therein constitute in substanee a Weight at taehed to the left-hand end of lever ,30i th'e levels-orZY'depth in' tanks 18 and 26. The

7 decreases to. "a point tvhere} the: combined Wei glit of the fcontainers 33jand 34e'decr'eases below acertainvalue;springwSY vvilLliftlthe level ofxwater ineither or both of the tanks left-hand lend of lever 30 thereby pe ing valve '29 and admitting makeup- Water to the i equalizer tan-k through inlet'pipe 28- until its 7 ever is'r'aisedto anextenteuch thatfthej "dition'al" Weight of i'vater'jin ;;eontainer f 345; which indicatesftheaniount ofiwater in said iequalizer tank will: eifeotfthe'olosing ofthe i through conduit26 i i-esponsetqtl e change of the Q total amount 01* the total fdepth Pof. liquid i'n both tanksf18rv and 26 idepjending V uou's; .feed water preheatingfby be taken frorn equalizer tank 26 along with" the condensate from condenser 6 for the sup 3 ply oft'he boiler and for filling the tank 18.

During this operationthelevel of the liquid in equalizer tank 26 may be decreased to-a considerabl extent, While that the tank18 is"'inereased.' 'Whe'n valve means 20 is closed I due to increase in the load von the boiler be- .yond the predetermined value, the boiler denser eis then discharged by the puinp" 7 i no -longei-{flow through the surface feed- Wai amount f s'tealn suppliedto the l turbine-as befo1'-ej,- the turbine 'v'villbe, able to carrya itis4considered :tliatonly a part of the en- .e gy' er the steain taken from the turbine tl1'rough'p1pes-12-and 13 is extracted in the -ti irbine',lthe reniainder; of' the ener y being form of returned to the; feed Water in "the heat.

7 it v V It-will thns be seen thatby I ny invention, j Weightsareopp osedjbya spring 375]- 381s astop for? limiting the upward 'moveinentioff the-left-hand endiot lever 30. WYith thisf arrangement; as longasthe-levelofwvater'in tanks-18- 'and 26 i's abevjethe {predetermined f 1 height; the Weight of'the Water in containers 33 fand i is isufiicient to hold valve 29fclosed against the action of -*s nng;37 lVhen the;

'duringperiods when the loadifs below a forfe'ed water heating,*at the same time storing hot water, andwhen' the load on "the bo ler exoe'edsa predetermined 'high value *I' cease extracting steam; from the turbine, for feed Water heating vvhereby all the energy ofthe-jsteam may be utilized in carrying-the "loadfion the turbine, p the boiler being, then 'ter heaters8 'and'10 Withthe result that the" pressure-in.conduits 1 15 ,17, 12 and 13 increases a'n'djpreventsfurther extraction of. v.steain' frem" turbinlei-ti Asia result, all the steanijisupplied'to the turbine through con- :duit 5"vvillpassthrough the-turbineto the oon denserpno stealnbeing extracted-from the V it'urbin'e. QThlSilIlGfillS that 'WithTthe saIn'e offiexible tubular connections 35;and the container 3 1 is connected to. tank. 26; a-t verk "teeny spaced -points by flekibleftubular On-- nections 36. this; arrangemenltithere is present in the containers 33 and 3 lfaquantity of ater or liquid corresponding With-the 'greateriloadbecause of the'ffactthat all'the, V steam is? passing entirely throughthe turbine .to; the condenserf This will be clear when fed with the hot -Water previously stored in put 'to bemet With-and the equalizer tank 26 i slarge enough to hold the additional awer during said :perio'd. J

Thexfeurve: A iindioates the :variation in tur- 'vided with a usual arrangement;

1 H A steani, 1 The curve-C showsthe efi'ect of elim-' the clos ng of the valve means 2Q,- vvate :,.may {mating the extra'otion of'isteam from the turthehotlwaterstoragetankl Theoapacity of the-tank18 is made'sufliciently greatto take" 7 care-of the anticipated consumption of steam during the longest period ofmaximum 'outdiagram inF-ig'. 2 illustrates the re :sults obtained by;.u tilizing the invention.

o-bin, load iPI-D 'ted against time. The curve:

oonsumptionjofsteam for an installation proi of c'ontinl extracted bine during the'period ofqmaximum load output, that-is, during the peri d fromd) to E. A comparison. of the curve Gwith the curve B indicates clearly that during the period of maximum load fromDtO' E.a'-sub v stantially lesser amount of steam'is required for carrying the load due. to preventing the extraction of :steam from the turbine. The amount ofwater accumulated in reservoir 26 during .this period is represented by the cross-hatched areaF. w

In Fig. 3 is illustrated my invention wherein the heating'steam for heating the feed ,water is supplied not from a, stage orrstages ofthe main turbine-but bymeans of'a separate feed water heating-or auxiliary turbinev provided with aspecial regulatingdevice;

Referring to Fig. 3, 40 indicates a boiler similar to the boiler 1 of-tFig; 1 which sup.- plies steam through the pipe'4l to main condensing steam turbine 42, the condenser for which is indicated at 43., '44 indicates the condensate pump which delivers condensate 25 from condenser 43-to: the surface feed water heaters 45 and 46 corresponding to the; feed water heaters 8 and 10 of Fig. 1-. 47,48 and 49 are pumps correspondingin function and arrangement to the pumps 9, 16 and 11-of Fig. 1, and 50 is a load control valve means corresponding to the load control means 20 of F ig. 1. Also, 51 and 52 are hot waterstorage. tank and equalizer -tank corresponding to the tanks 18 and 26 of Fig. 1, and equipped T35 with a similar mechanism for supplying -.with steam from pipe 41 through pipe 56 -in which, isv arranged a, valve means 57 controlled in accordance with'the 50 pressure in the steam in pipe 55. By this able pressure tothe feed Water heaters 45 and 46. In the present instance valve'means 57 is shown as being controlled by diaphragm 58 subjected -to the pressure in? pipe 55 through a pipe 59, the arrangement being such that valve 58 is moved toward closed'position as the pressureincreasesand is permitted to. open as the pressure-decreases. It I g also in connectionwith'back pressure turv 'bines; ,Backpressure turbines are: usually of relatively; small .size and are not generally 7 provided with steam. extraction, for pre-heat- 'ingthe feedwaterbecause witha back pressure' cycle-little, if any, gain in thermal efliciencyis obtained. *Mysinv'ention, however, I

- -will be understood, of course,-t hat,this show.-

i 60 ing, is of a diagrammatic character andthat any :suitable pressure control .jvalve mechanism may be used for controllingturbine 53.

.Also, it will be understood that the speedof turbine 53 will be fixed in some suitable way such as, by having its generator tied in on the an embodimentof through pipe 55. "Turbine/53 is supplied;

means,.there is supplied always steam of suitsame line-with other alternating current generators. With the foregoing arrangement, steamis supplied-by the boiler; 40 for operating the turbine 42. and also ,for-feedwater heating,

the energy of the steamfor-feed-water heating being utilized partially in the auxiliary -turbine53. When the load on the boiler exceeds a predetermined value, valve means 50 is closedas heretofore explained in connece tion with Fig. 1., As a result, the feed. water heaters 45 and46 cease utilizing heating steam so that the pressure in pipe 55 builds up thereby closing the valve means 57iso that all the steam generated byboiler 4Q maybe supplied directly to the main condensing turbine 42. During this periodof time, heatv ing of feed water by steam ceases, the boiler is supplied 1w-ith'h0t waterfrom the tank '51,and the condensate is stored intheequal- 'izer tank 52 as explained.inlconnection with Fig. l.

. During the period when valve means 50 is closed, it is desirable that some steam be passed through the auxiliary turbine 53; in order'to keep 1t running under its ownpower and prevent its overheatrng, and the arrangement of the valve means 57 is such that a.

certain amount of steam will besupplied to turbine 53. During this period theexhaust from turbine 53 passes through a bypass pipe 60. and a weighted non-return valve -61 toa small pre-heater 62- arranged on the discharge side of condensateypump 44so that this heat is supplied tothe water being delivered by the condensate pump'to the equalizer tank 52. 63.:is=a pipe throughwhich the steam condensed in heater 62 is-led'to the inlet side of pump 44, there being asuitable A non-return valve 64 in .this pipe.

. The arrangement shown in, Fig.3,has the advantage over that shown .in' Fig. l; in that the pressure of the steamsupplied to the feed ,waterheaters45 and .46, is maintained sub,-

stantially constant,irrespective of the. load von the mainturbine 42. This would-not be thecase with the arrangement shown inFig. .1 because atlightloads onthe main turbine the pressures in the respective stages decrease. The arrangement shown in Fig. 3 'is thereforemore particularly adapted for installations wherein the load on the main turbine fluctuates over a considerable range. The arrangement showninPFig. 1 is especially adapted'for installations wherein thefluctuationpfthe loadon'. the main turbine is not great. i M

-. My invention maybe utilized to advantage ris ' 5 nection with the'operatinofbad pressure turbil fis. g--'= j'l[n-ac.cordancewith he V f l patent'statutegl havedesc'ribed thapfiriciiple3 jof operation of ra -invention, togethe, with arra'ngem'ent of this type. Y

plies steamthr'ough a pipe l td aback pre Isureltiirbine 72;} 'ZSiindieate' dnit 'for turbine 72 and from "ryhichfis teafiifis e snppli'ed forindu trialr urpeses-;;;throug1r 1 branch" pipe 74. 1- Steamis also s'u pf lied'f-r'om Water heater 76 01? the 'siiriaceitype ln series vided anarrangement ofhot Water storage 1 tank; 83 an'dequalizer tank 84=gsinii1ar tothat shown in Figssl and' The steam conveyed I ing and'heating ofthefluid from the condenser means inelndinga conduit and avalve -}in= the-conduit forieonveyingliquid-from the b 'With feed Water-heater 76' a stzond-feed Water heater 77; of {the surfacety e Whiohfiis Connected by a;- pipe toian intermediate stage of turbine 72 to: regeive lheatiiig stea'm i therefrom; The feetbwateriheaters'TGand f v c'orrespo-nd'to thefeedwate'r heaters 8 andlO of Fig.1 and are provided with=pumps 79, 89; and, 81" andssa flo'ajd actuatedvalive mechanism? 82 a11= similar-to th at described "in conneej tion WithFigs. '1 and 3. Also, there is pro-'1 away; b 'pjpezefandeondensed is-indifcated asbeing returnedtoitheequalizertanki84 by:

{a pipe 85;; Theffeedf-w'ater'heater 76 -is eorrthe equalizerta'nk l84being in this arrange- I. Q ment' the eondensate tank off between from j heaters beinggsi pplied1 ,W-'th heatinggsteain" V through 1'Jipes- 75 and 78.] Whenthe loa'd "on theboiler exceeds a predetermined high Vale.

ue, jvalve 11162511 51 82 is 'elo'sediwhereupon Ja1'1 the steam; from the'boiler' is supplied to ti r' bine 172 and' throngh'pipeifis for industrial 'purposesfthe feedv'vat er heatf rs76 and n i I noWj eeasing: 'to loperate and the boilerbeing 5 fed with; Waterfront the rhot water-storage V 'tank 83i ithis eohneetion itwill be? 1111- der'stood that: theme]; pressiire' turbine 72 s provided with airegulatingjmeansresponsive i to the' demand for" exhaust steam for indnsf trial purp ses, as iS WQH nnderstoodfin con revision of the a the apparatuswhi'eh'l now consider'torefirew v sent the best embodiment V LettersjPatentof tlieUnitedfstates is siregto have itt nderstood thafithe apparatns V shown is only" illustrative and ft-hat; gthee in? :6 ventionimay be carriedloutbyfother means;

"Qf-WhatI '01 i W aim as new'and desireifto" See-i1 1; e 1115a power installation hQf COIIIibIIIan ra me-lHw-eet l seerem he similar' 'to the: boiler 1 0f *liigqlwhich Si 11 55 ilower stage of the turbine means ilneans;nepeivingelastic-fluid.fromthe generatlngtgneans; a condenser connected to" the turbine meanmipreheat ng meansifor receiv i'butffder "generatiI1g means; a oondenser eonneoted to thegturb nemeans, pre-heatmg means for remeansinhiding aconduit and a valve in the V conduitifor 'eonveying liquid from the pre: ,heating mea nsto the generating means, means gforlssupplyin-g heating elastiefluid from a lowergstag'e of the turbine-means t0 the pie heating rneans,means for conveying the heating fiuid fromthepre-heating means .to the moving the valve to its closed positionfwhen v the load on; the: generating means increases the supply o ftheating elastio fluid from a point between the generating 3 means. and a heating me'ans is prevented, t, v

2. In a power installation; the Combination to ith'e pre "of an" elastic fluid j generating meana'turbine 1 means receiving elastic fluid from the generatinglmeana a condenseroohnected to the turbine means; pre heati'n'gwmeans for receivfor-movingthe lvalye :to' its' closed position.

when the dead: 'bn-fthe generating means in ereasesrwherebyi the valve" is closed when the 10adre ach'es a predetermined value and the" supply 0f" heating relast-ie fluid, from apoint -betweenFthel-generating means and a lower 7 v stageof the tnrbine; means to thef pre-hea-ting V means is 1 prevented, 'a=reservo-ir eonnected ahead of the preeheating means as regards ithe;direetioni of flow (if-fluid for receiving" fiuid froiirthecondenser When the valve isic losed' andsupplyingiliquid tov the pre-heatingilnrneains atlow loadwof- :the generating means, 1- a a l v i Inwa power lnstallatlon; the combination EingandQheatingiofkthe fiuid' from the conf elastic fiuidi'g'enerating means, turbine v denser,imeans'pincludingQa jconduit and-a lve'y in fthfifcbndliit for fconv eying liquid of'the valve-means heating means'to thegenerat in'giineansameans for st pplying heating elas-vtic fiuidlfrom aipoint between the generating 53125 means-and alzjjwer stage ofthe turbine means t6 -theipreheating1meana xin g tl ie'heating fluid from "the pie-heating 'Ineans to the conduit ahead as regardsl'thedirection of fflow; of" fluid,"

it "conduitahead of thevalvemeans as regards, gjthe jdirectioh; of-fiow of fluid, and means 'for means for moving the valve to its closed position when the load on the generatlng means increases whereby the valve 1s closed when the load reaches a predetermined value and the supply of heating elastic fluid from a point between the generating means and a lower stage of the turbine means to the preheating means is prevented, a level regulator for the generating means,and a hot liquid storage tank connected to the conduit behind the valve as regards the direction of flow of fluid for receiving liquid from the pre-heating means and supplying liquid to the generating means in terms of level conditions in the generating means. V

4. In a power mstallatlon, the comb nation of an elastlc fluid generating means, turbme means receiving elastic fluid from the generating means, a condenser connected to the turbine means, pro-heating means for receiving and heating fluid from the condenser, means including a conduit and a valve in the conduit for conveying liquid from the preheating means to the generating means, means for supplying heating elastic fluid from an extraction stage of the turbine means to the pre-heating means, means for conveying the heating fluid from the pre-heating means to the conduit ahead of the valve means as regards the direction of flow of fluid, meansfor moving the valve'to, its closed position when thel'oad on the generating means increases whereby the valve is closed fluid from the condenser when the valve is closed and supplying liquid to the preheating means at low load 'on the generating means, and means for supplying make-up liquid to the reservoir including a valve means,

and means for actuating the valve means in terms of total depth of liquid contained in boththe storage tank and the accumulator.

5. In combination with two tanks containing liquid, means for supplying make-up liquid to one of the tanks in terms of depth of liquid in both tanks, said means including a valve, a fulcrumed lever pivotally connected to the valve, two containers, each container communicating with one of the tanks whereby the liquid level in each of the containers is responsive to the depth of liquid in'thecorresponding tank, and both containers belever.

PIERRE LE SUR.

ing connected to the 

